The Utility of Contrast-Enhanced MRI in Diagnosis of Muscle Injuries Occult to Conventional MRI

PURPOSE: Our goal was to define the utility of contrast-enhanced MRI in the diagnosis of occult muscle injuries on T2 and STIR sequences. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the pre- and postcontrast MR studies of four professional athletes with a clinical diagnosis of suspected muscle injuries. RESULTS: The four cases demonstrated muscle strain injuries not visualized on the conventional T2 and STIR sequences but visualized on the postcontrast MR studies as areas of localized enhancement. CONCLUSION: We recommend the intravenous administration of gadolinium in the setting of clinically suspected muscle injuries not visualized on T2 and STIR sequences.